October 14, 1899. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
99 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit cf man."—B acon. 
means a great amount of heavy labour, so 
that he practically endorses the opinions we 
have formed both from practical experience 
and observation in various widely separated 
parts of the country. It is this—to be a 
good vegetable gardener one must handle 
the spade heavily and often. That is the 
expeiitnce of all good vegetable gardeners 
and of their subordinates, whether the latter 
like it or not. Mr. Beckett is a thorough 
believer in trenching the soil 2 ft. to 3 
ft. deep, whether it be sand}-, gravelly, 
chalky or clayey. The lighter soils he 
would trench as early in the autumn as 
possible ; but he has come more recently to 
agree with certain cultivators that the end 
of February and March is the best time to 
trench heavy and badly drained land. Of 
course there are those who discredit the 
trenching of light soils because by the 
piocef-s the medium is thereby rendered too 
porous and open. No fear of that if the 
trenching is accomplished sufficiently early 
for the rain and snow of autumn and winter 
to solidify the soil sufficiently for the 
succeeding summer’s crop. The great 
depth of root-run thereby secured for vege¬ 
tables increases their means of collecting 
food, and puts their roots to a greater ex¬ 
tent beyond the prejudicial influences of a 
hot and droughty season, such as that we 
have just experienced. Badly-drained land 
should be remedied in thisre-pect wherever 
possible, so that no excuse on this score 
need be put forward. “ Deep cultivation,” 
says the author, “ will always give the best 
returns,” and he dissuades his readers from 
merely digging the ground on which an 
important crop is to be raised. 
The proper preparation of the soil in¬ 
volves many considerations, and one of the 
observations made here is that for most 
vegetables it is absolutely necessary to 
provide a change of situation every year ; 
and the Cabbage tribe he would never grow 
twice in succession on the same piece of 
ground. This is not a mere question of 
exhaustion of the soil, but implies the 
dangers that would result from insect pests 
and fungoid diseases. In the case of 
Onions he gives the opposite advice, stating 
that the best results are obtainable from 
soil cropped with Onions in several suc¬ 
cessive years, at least, if his directions are 
followed. We ourselves have grown good 
Onions on a border that had been similarly 
cropped for about twenty years previously ; 
while much smaller bulbs were obtained 
from the use of a fresh piece of ground 
eve'y year. The subject of manuring is 
fully detailed in the article on trenching, for 
Mr. Beckett uses the farmyard article 
liberally. One point is left unexplained, 
namely, that the operator should commence 
trenching at the lower end of the ground, if 
there is a difference of level. We should 
always commence at the top, and wheel 
the soil of the first trench down hill to the 
lower end of the ground, in the first place 
because it is easier, and secondly because 
in digging the second and succeeding 
trenches the soil can be kept at its proper 
level at the brow of the hill. 
Some pertinent observations are made 
with regard to the staging of exhibits and 
the preparation of the same. Formerly it 
was a custom to put a superior dish of any¬ 
thing in a prominent position so that a good 
impression upon the judges might be made, 
but every good exhibitor well knows that 
the judges now look for a general evenness 
of all the dishes in an exhibit. Of two 
exhibits of equal merit as regards the 
quality of the vegetables, that one will be 
the winner, which is the neater and more 
tastefully arranged. In the selection of 
specimens for exhibition Mr. Beckett offers 
some poignant hints to inexperienced and 
intending exhibitors. It is a fatal mistake 
A few Fine Sorts for Pots or Outdoors. 
EMPEROR, perianth deep primrose, ti umpet rich full 
yellow, very large flower,per xoo, 25 s,; per doz , 
3s. 6d. 
J0HN8T0NI QUEEN OF SPAIN, of a uniform soft 
delicate clear yellow, with gracefully-reflexing 
petals, per ioo, 17 s. 6d. ; per doz., 2 s. 6d. 
BICOLOR GRANDIS, large pure white perianth, 
large full yellow trumpet, late flowering, per ioo, 
22s. 6d. ; per doz.. 3 s. 
BICOLOR J. B. M. CAMM, perianth white, trumpet 
soft pale chrome-yellow, a most beautiful 
variety, per doz., 36 s. ; each, 3 s. 6d. 
PALLIDUS PRjECOX, perianth ard trumpet from 
pale straw colour to white, very early, per ioo, 
8s. 6d. ; per drz.. Is 3d. 
INCOMPARABILIS PRINCE TECK, broad, finely 
formed creamy-white perianth, large yellow 
cup, per ioo, 21s. ; per doz., 3 s. 
INCOMPARABILIS SIR WATKIN, perianth rich 
sulphur, cup yellow, slightly tinged with 
orange, very large flower, per too, 25 s.; per 
doz , 3s 6d. 
BARRII CONSPICUUS, large ye'lew perianth, 
broad short cup, conspicuously edged bright 
orange-scarlet, a flower of much beauty and re¬ 
finement. per ioo, 15s ; per doz., 2 s. 3d. 
BARRII FLORA WILSON, pure white perianth, cup 
deeply stained orange-scarlet, a very striking 
flower, per doz , 10s. 6d. ; each, Is, 
LEED8II DUCHESS OF WESTMINSTER, large 
white perianth, long soft canary cup tinged orange 
on first expanding, per doz , 25 s.; each, 2 s 6d. 
All Bulbs sent Carriage Paid on receipt of remittance. 
Send for BARR'S ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE of all 
the most beautiful DAFFODILS, with full particulars of 
Collections for Amateurs and Exhibitors, FREE ON APPLI¬ 
CATION to 
BARR & SONS, 
12 & 13, King Street, Coyent Garden, LONDON. 
Nurseries— LONG DITTON, SURREY. 
PRIMULAS, CINERARIAS, and CALCEOLARIAS. 
H. CANNELL & SONS 
Have now a very grand lot from their well-known 
best strains in existence. 
Calceolarias and Cinerarias at 2/- per 
doz.; in pots, 3/6. 
Primulas, new star kinds, Lady E. Dyke, Lady 
M. Marsham, Lady Whitehead, and Mrs. R. 
Cannell, at 3/- per doz.; in pots, 4/6. 
Primula The Lady Improved, 2/- per doz ; in 
pots, 3/6. 
Illustrated and Descriptive List of these elegant pyramidal 
decorative Primulas Post Free. 
Our dwarf Sinensis kinds, possessing such colours 
and merits not found in any other collection, also 
supplied at 2/- per dez ; in pots, 3/6. 
SWAN LEY, KENT. 
. . CUTSUSH’S . . 
BULBS, CARNATIONS, & PLANTS 
For Early Forcing 
ARE THE BEST. 
CATALOGUES FREE ON APPLICATION. 
Wm. CUTBUSH & SON, 
Highgate Nurseries, LONDON, N., 
And Barnet, Herts. 
CARMICHAEL’S SEEDLING STRAWBERRIES. 
1 Princess of Wales, 2 Queen of Denmark, 
Richard Gilbert, Britannia, Miss Knollys. 
Retail price, 15 /- per too. All named laid runners. 
C. A. M. Carmichael, 25 plants, 25 /- per 100. 
Duke of Montrose, 25 plants, 25 /- per 100. 
The above two new seedlings are grand distinct 
sorts teiog a cross between Queen of Denmark and 
Richa d Gilbert. As the stock is limited orders will 
be booked and sent out as received. 
tin 
Edited by J. FRASER. F.L.S. 
SATURDAY , OCTOBER itfh, 1899. 
SPECIAL QUOTATIONS TO THE TRADE. 
Printed Lists may be obtained by application to 
WILLIAM CARMICHAEL, 
14, Pitt Street, Edinburgh. 
“ MfEGETABI.ES FOR EXHIBITION AND HOME 
Consumption.”*— Some writers have 
a fault of rushing into print before they are 
half conversant with the subject they have 
in hand ; but in the writing of this book on 
vegetables Mr. Edwin Beckett, gardener to 
Lord Aldenham, Aldenham House, Elstree, 
commenced at the proper end of the work 
by making himself a first-class cultivator, 
and proving himself a successful exhibitor. 
We do not intend it to be understood that 
he made himself proficient in the art of 
gardening in order to qualify for authorship. 
On the other hand he was invited to write 
a series of articles giving details of his 
practice, as a cultivator and exhibitor, in a 
horticultural journal. The completion of 
his labours in this direction is the book now 
before us. This is the gardening work from 
his pen at which we hinted last year. 
Many of our readers are already familiar 
with Mr. Beckett’s handiwork as an exhibi¬ 
tor at the Drill Hall and elsewhere, while 
our accounts of his successes have made his 
name familiar with a much larger body of 
the gardening fraternity. He gained the 
Royal Horticultural Society’s Gold Medal 
for vegetables, on July 13th, 1897. This 
year he put up splendid exhibits of vegeta¬ 
bles on the 13th June, and the 26th Septem¬ 
ber last, in competition for the Sherwood 
Silver Cup (value ten guineas), and on the 
latter date was awarded the prize. 
In his introduction to the book under 
notice he speaks of the greatly increased 
interest in vegetable culture all over the 
country by amateurs and professionals alike, 
and considers that competition at exhibi¬ 
tions has stimulated them to stage exhibits 
of the highest excellence. We contend 
that a successful cultivator and exhibitor of 
vegetables is ever afterwards likely to 
maintain a high class standard of garden 
produce for his master’s table, and that the 
best samples for exhibition are equally 
suitable for the kitchen table. Some may 
demur to the size of the Celery, but in 
most other cases such an allegation cannot 
be made. There is no doubt that to be a 
successful exhibitor is the test of a good 
gardener, whatever the nature of the soil 
may be from whence the products are to be 
taken. Mr. Beckett has gained his 
experience from the working of a consider¬ 
able variety of soils from the lightest to the 
heaviest in different counties. That on 
which he is labouiing at present is on a 
part of the London clay which is very un¬ 
workable either when very wet or very dry. 
To grow good vegetables in such a soil 
♦Vegetables for Exhibition and Home Con¬ 
sumption .With a Calendar of Kitchen 
Garden Operations for Twelve Momhv; Short 
Descriptions of and Remedies for Insect and 
Fungoid Pests Affecting the Crops Dealt with, etc., 
by Edwin Beckett. F.R.H S , price 3L 61 . Londm : 
SimpkiD, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., Limited, 
1899. 
